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What are the substances restricted by RoHS?
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Cadmium (Cd),
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Mercury (Hg)
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Hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI))
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Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBBs)
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Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) as well as lead (Pb).
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What is WEEE?
Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment.
Deals with the recovery, sorting and treatment of non-compliant products. Legislation is expected to be introduced by August 2004 with compliance a year later.
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Why do we need this Directive?
Over 90% of electrical and electronic equipment goes into landfill sites - around 6 million tons of waste every year. Emissions to the air that result are a risk to both health and the environment.
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Are RoHS and WEEE just UK Directives?
Brady is an international manufacturer and marketer of complete identification solutions and "Single market" Directives such as RoHS apply to all EU member states and must be implemented in the same way to prevent differences in interpretation across the member states. The WEEE Directive is not a single market Directive, it sets minimum criteria for the collection of waste that member states may exceed if they wish.
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Is the legislation global?
While the implementation deadlines form part of EU legislation, the need to comply will evolve globally. Japanese manufacturers have been reducing lead levels for 3 or 4 years and, in the USA, California has already passed legislation to fall approximately in line with the EU timescales. It is unlikely that electronics manufacturers will make "lead free" components for Europe and lead-based components for the rest of the world.
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What are we doing to help you?
We have invested substantial resources tracing materials used through the Brady supply chain and sending them out to a third-party lab for testing and RoHS validation. Reports are compiled for OEM customers who need to provide this information to be in compliance and materials that are in compliance will be clearly distinguishable with a RoHS-compliant statement on the product label. We have educated our staff on the components of this legislation so they can speak to any compliance questions and address any issues or concerns that may arise. Brady will continue to offer legacy parts for those products typically used in the US, while some parts have been re-engineered to meet the new RoHS directive.
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What are the benefits of the RoHS Directive?
The extraction of these raw materials and their eventual disposal, can cause damage to both the environment in terms of pollution, as well as to human health from occupational exposure and exposure following disposal. The removal of these materials from production will reduce the health risks of exposure, particularly for children, the elderly and pregnant women.
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Who is affected?
Anyone that:
--Manufactures and sells electrical and electronic equipment within the specified categories.
--Sells equipment produced by other suppliers under their own brand.
--Imports (or exports) affected equipment into European Union (EU) member states.
It is expected that from August 2005, such producers will be responsible for financing the collection of waste electrical and electronic equipment from central points, specialist treatment, and meeting targets for re-use, recycling and recovery.
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Which products are affected by RoHS and WEEE?
--Large household appliances (eg. fridges, washing machines, electric ovens)
--Small household appliances (eg. vacuum cleaners, toasters, irons, clocks, scales)
--IT and telecommunication equipment (eg. computers, photocopiers, telephones)
--Consumer equipment (eg. televisions, video recorders, hi-fi equipment)
--Lighting equipment (eg. fluorescent lamps, discharge lamps)
--Electrical and electronic tools (eg. drills, sewing machines, lawnmowers)
--Toys, leisure and sports equipment (eg. video games and consoles, train sets)
--Medical equipment systems (eg. radiotherapy equipment, pulmonary ventilators) - WEEE only
--Monitoring and control equipment (eg. thermostats, control panels) - WEEE only
--Automatic dispensers (eg. drinks machines)
--Electric light bulbs
--Luminaries in households
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Is the shelf-life of "lead-free" components reduced because of lead-free plating?
Unlikely, in fact it could well be improved, as tin has a slower oxidation characteristic compared to tin / lead alloy.
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What if I need to maintain or repair my present equipment after July 2006?
The use of "banned" substances (lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers) in spare parts to repair equipment put on the market before July 2006 will be permitted, but will not be allowed in new equipment. While still to be debated and agreed by governments, non-compliant product could be used for repair indefinitely.
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Is there a RoHS compliance label?
No. Unlike the WEEE Directive, RoHS does not specify a "compliance mark". However, a number of manufacturers now also indicate compliance on product packaging by using symbols or a suffix to their part number (e.g. PBF, LF, or G).
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What are the important issues relating to lead-free solder?
Compatibility
Soldered surfaces must be free of lead to begin with. This includes the PCB as well as the component. Lead contamination on a lead-free solder joint will significantly reduce the reliability of the joint.
Temperature
All lead-free alloys melt at a higher temperature than traditional tin-lead alloys. The temperature of the soldering iron may need to be increased, and both the components and PCB will need to withstand these higher levels. Increased temperatures also place a greater demand on the flux, and it may be necessary to opt for a higher solids content, or more active flux if the soldering becomes difficult when using lead-free materials. Typical melting points:
--Tin-Copper 227¢XC
--Tin-Silver 221¢XC
--Tin-Silver-Copper 217¢XC
--Tin-Silver-Bismuth 205¢XC to 215¢XC
--Tin-Zinc 199¢XC
--Tin-Lead 183¢XC
--Tin-Bismuth 138¢XC
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